Gay Latinos 'minority twice over'

The growing gay Latino population in the United States is in a minority twice over, says Andres Duque, one of the community's leading voices.

Many already feel marginalised as Latinos and gays in the broader American society but also feel stereotyped as Latinos within the gay community, he says.

That is why he helped start Mano a Mano, a Latino gay rights coalition, 10 years ago.

From his small office in the heart of Manhattan, he works to give a greater voice to Latino gays and lesbians.

"The history of organising within the gay Latino community comes from immigration and how people find themselves travelling from their countries to the United States and then settling here," he says.

"They may have even come out of the closet here and were in need of meeting people like themselves. It was basically a need to find some sort of support and family," says Mr Duque.

Traditional gay rights organisations were not meeting the specific needs of the Latino community, he says.

Gay Latinos 'minority twice over'
BBC News, UK